H5643a H5643a
Secrecy, hiding place, shelter — covert action done 'in secret' or a concrete place of concealment and refuge
Drawn from the root סתר 'to hide', this noun oscillates between the abstract and the concrete. Used adverbially with beth (בַּסֵּתֶר), it describes clandestine deeds — enticing someone to idolatry 'in secret' (Deut 13:6), striking a neighbor covertly (Deut 27:24), or the psalmist being woven together in secret (Ps 139:15). As a concrete noun it becomes a place of refuge: the mountain cover shielding Abigail (1 Sam 25:20), the dark clouds as God's hiding place (Ps 18:11), and the shelter of the Most High (Ps 91:1). Spanish captures the split with 'en secreto' vs. 'escondite', and French with 'dans le secret' vs. 'abri'.
Senses
1. secrecy, in secret — Secrecy or covertness as an abstract quality, typically in the adverbial phrase בַּסֵּתֶר 'in secret, secretly'. Describes hidden or clandestine action: enticing to idolatry in secret (Deut 13:6), smiting a neighbor in secret (Deut 27:24), eating bread of secrecy (Prov 9:17), and the psalmist's formation 'in secret' in the womb (Ps 139:15). Spanish 'en secreto/en oculto' and French 'dans le secret' consistently render the adverbial use, distinguishing it from the place-noun. 19×
AR["السِّرِّ", "الْخَفَاءِ", "بِ-السِّرِّ", "بِالسِّرِّ", "بِـ-السِّرِّ", "سِرًّا", "سِرٍّ", "في-السِّرِّ", "في-السِّرّ", "فِي-السِّرِّ", "فِي-الْخَفاءِ", "فِي-الْخَفَاءِ"]·ben["-গোপনে", "গোপন", "গোপনে", "গোপনে,", "গোপনে-", "গোপনের"]·DE["[בסתר]", "[סתר]", "[סתרים]", "in-der-secret-Ort", "in-geheim", "in-secret", "secret"]·EN["backbiting", "eaten-in-secret", "in-secret", "in-the-secret-place", "secret"]·FR["dans-abri", "dans-le-secret-lieu", "dans-secret", "en-secret", "secret"]·heb["ב-סתר", "סתר", "סתרים"]·HI["गुप्त", "गुप्त-में", "छिपकर", "छिपकर-खाई-हुई", "छुपि-जगह-मेइन", "में-गुप्त", "में-छिपे-में"]·ID["dengan-tersembunyi", "di-tempat-tersembunyi", "rahasia", "secara-diam-diam", "secara-rahasia", "secara-sembunyi", "secara-tersembunyi", "tersembunyi", "yang-tersembunyi"]·IT["in-il-segreto-luogo", "in-secret", "in-segreto", "nascondiglio", "nascondimento", "nel-segreto", "segreto"]·jav["ing-dhedhemitan", "ing-pasingidan", "ing-saseleran", "ing-singgidan", "ing-singidan", "ing-umpetan", "ing-wadi", "ing-wados", "kang-singidan", "kanthi-sidheman", "kanthi-singidan", "kanthi-wados", "wadi", "wados"]·KO["비밀", "숨겨진", "에-은밀한-곳에서", "에-은밀히", "은밀한", "은밀한-곳-에", "은밀한-곳-에서", "은밀한-곳에", "은밀히", "은밀히-"]·PT["em-oculto", "em-secreto", "em-segredo", "no-esconderijo", "ocultamento", "secreto", "segredo"]·RU["в-тайне", "в-укрытии", "тайно", "тайное", "тайный"]·ES["en-lo-oculto", "en-lo-secreto", "en-oculto", "en-secreto", "oculta", "secreto"]·SW["kisiri", "kwa-siri", "siri", "wa-siri"]·TR["gizli", "gizlice", "gizlide"]·urd["خفیہ-میں", "راز-کی", "میں-خفیہ", "پوشیدگی-میں", "پوشیدہ-میں", "چغل-خوری-کی", "چھپ کر", "چھپ-کر", "چھپ-کر-کی", "چھپے-میں"]
Deut 13:6, Deut 27:15, Deut 27:24, Deut 28:57, Judg 3:19, 1 Sam 19:2, 2 Sam 12:12, Job 13:10, Job 31:27, Ps 101:5, Ps 139:15, Prov 9:17 (+7 more)
2. hiding place, shelter, cover — A hiding place, shelter, or protective cover — a concrete or semi-concrete location of concealment or refuge. Often in construct: סֵתֶר פָּנֶיךָ 'the shelter of your presence' (Ps 31:20), סֵתֶר עֶלְיוֹן 'the shelter of the Most High' (Ps 91:1), סֵתֶר רַעַם 'hiding place of thunder' (Ps 81:7). Spanish 'escondite' and French 'abri' confirm the concrete locative reading. In theophany, God's hiding place is dark clouds (Ps 18:11; Job 22:14); in narrative, it is the cover of a mountain (1 Sam 25:20) or lotus thickets (Job 40:21). 16×
AR["بِ-سِترِ", "بِ-سِيتِر", "سِتْرًا", "سِتْرٌ", "سِتْرٌ-", "سِتْرَهُ", "في-سِترِ", "فِي-سَتْرِ", "فِي-سِتْرِ", "مَلْجَأِي", "وَ-ستْرَ", "وَ-سِتْرٍ-مِنَ", "وَ-سِتْرَ"]·ben["-আড়ালে", "-গোপনে", "আড়াল", "আড়ালে", "আবরণ-", "আমার-লুকানোর-স্থান", "আশ্রয়", "এবং-আড়াল", "ও-আড়াল", "ও-আড়ালস্থান", "গোপনে", "গোপনে-", "তাঁর-গোপন-স্থান", "সেই-গোপনে"]·DE["[בסתר]", "[וסתר]", "[סתר]", "in-bedecke-von", "in-der-geheim-Ort-von", "in-der-hiding-Ort-von", "in-der-shelter-von", "in-geheim-von", "mein-hiding-Ort", "sein-hiding-Ort", "sind-ein-hiding-Ort"]·EN["and-covering-of", "and-the-hiding-place", "are-a-hiding-place", "from-storm", "hiding-place", "his-hiding-place", "in-cover-of", "in-hiding-of", "in-secret-of", "in-the-hiding-place-of", "in-the-secret-place-of", "in-the-shelter-of", "my-hiding-place"]·FR["abri", "dans-abri", "dans-couvre-de", "dans-le-secret", "dans-secret", "et-secret", "secret"]·heb["ב-סתר", "ו-סתר", "סיתרי", "סתר", "סתרו"]·HI["-ओट-में", "आड़", "आड़-में", "और-आड़", "और-छिपने-की-जगह", "और-शरण", "गुप्त-स्थान-में", "छिपकर-में", "छिपने-की-जगह", "छिपाव-अपना", "छिपे-में", "में-गुप्त", "में-गुप्त-स्थान", "में-छिपे-स्थान", "शरण"]·ID["Tempat-perlindunganku", "dalam-tempat tersembunyi", "dalam-tersembunyi", "dan-penutup", "dan-perlindungan", "dan-tempat-persembunyian", "di-naungan", "di-tempat-tersembunyi", "penutup", "tempat-perlindungan", "tempat-persembunyian-Nya"]·IT["e-nascondiglio", "e-segreto", "in-copri-di", "in-segreto", "nascondiglio", "nascondimento", "segreto"]·jav["Pangéyupan-kula", "ing-pandèlikan", "ing-papan-singitan", "ing-pasimpenan", "ing-pasingidan", "ing-sela", "lan-palinggihan", "lan-panutup", "lan-papan-singgahan", "pandèlikan-ipun", "pangungsen", "panutup-", "papan-singitan", "wonten-ing-pangayoman", "wonten-ing-panyingidan"]·KO["감춤이니-", "그리고-감춤을", "그리고-은신처", "그리고-은신처를", "나-의-은신처", "숨는-곳-으로", "숨은-곳-에", "에-감춤으로", "에-숨은-곳에서", "은밀한-곳-에", "은밀한-곳-에서", "은신처", "은신처-에서", "은신처가", "은폐-에서"]·PT["Meu-refúgio", "como-seu-esconderijo", "e-disfarce", "e-esconderijo", "e-refúgio-de", "em-escondido-de", "no-abrigo", "no-abrigo-de", "no-abrigo-do", "no-esconderijo", "no-esconderijo-de", "no-esconderijo-de-", "no-secreto-de", "refúgio", "são-esconderijo", "és-esconderijo"]·RU["Прибежище-моё", "в-тайне", "в-тайнике", "в-укрытии", "и-защита-от-", "и-покрывало", "и-укрытие", "покров-", "покровом-Своим", "укрытие", "укрытием"]·ES["Escondite-de-mí", "en-escondite-de", "en-lo-escondido-de", "en-lo-secreto-de", "en-secreto-de", "escondite", "refugio", "son-escondite-", "su-escondite", "y-cubierta-de", "y-el-escondite", "y-refugio-de"]·SW["ficho-langu", "katika-siri", "katika-siri-ya", "kificho-chake", "kimbilio", "kwa-siri", "na-hifadhi", "na-mahali-pa-kujificha", "na-sitara", "sitara"]·TR["-gizliliğinde", "gizli-yerde", "gizli-yerinde", "gizli-yerini", "gizlilik-içinde-", "gizlisinde-", "siginak", "sığınak", "sığınağım", "sığınağında", "ve-gizlenme", "ve-gizlenmesini", "ve-örtü", "örtü-"]·urd["-پردے-میں", "آڑ-میں", "اور-پردہ", "اور-چھپنے-کی-جگہ", "اپنی-پناہ-گاہ", "بَ-پوشیدہ", "بِ-پوشیدگی", "میری-پناہ", "پردہ-", "پناہ-میں", "پناہ-گاہ", "پناہ-گاہ-ہے", "پوشیدہ-جگہ-میں", "چھپے-میں"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† סֵ֫תֶר n.[m.] covering, hiding-place, secrecy;—abs. ס׳ Ju 3:19 +, סָ֑תֶר 2 S 12:12; Pr 25:23, סֶ֑תֶר ψ 139:15; cstr. סֵ֫תֶר 1 S 25:20 +; sf. סִתְרוֹ ψ 18:12 (ins. also ‖ 2 S 22:12 𝔊 𝔖 Th Bu HPS), סִתְרִי ψ 119:114; pl. סְתָרִים Pr 9:17;— 1. covering, cover, בְּס׳ הָהָר 1 S 25:20 under cover of the mt., concealed by it; of clouds as covering for י׳ (shutting out his view) Jb 22:14, of darkness…